Atchison, Topeka and Chuckanut Bay

Now what do trains and boats have in common? If you anchor overnight in Chuckanut Bay you'll know. When we went there in the afternoon, it peaked our curiosity. So for our final night on our shakedown cruise, Wayne and I picked the trestle in Chuckanut to drop our anchor.

Before going, Wayne looked up the Amtrac passenger train schedule. You may like to know, both trains were right on time. In addition, there were several freight trains. It was so much fun to wave at the engineers and have they toot the horn as they passed by.

But the 1:30 a.m. freight train gave me quite a start. It woke me as it exited the tunnel to the north. It's bright light made me briefly think we'd dragged anchor and were on the tracks. A quick look proved we were in place, but in the dark, the rattling cars seemed so much closer.

Brightly covered with graffiti, the many cars were heading north to Canada to get another load of natural resources and products, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is action.

The shakedown cruise and good weather came to an end the following morning, waking up to pelting rain and increased winds. We pulled anchor at dawn and returned to nearby Squalicum Harbor. We had lots of fun and hope you did too.

Are you a Pacific Northwest boater? Where are some of your favourite destinations? -- Margy

Friday Harbor Breakfast Run

The night at anchor was as calm as it gets. Traveling this time of year is perfect if you can find a good weather window. Summer in Fisherman's Bay would have been crowded with boats on buoys with little space to tuck in between. Dawn broke early so we got up to find a breakfast spot at Friday Harbor on nearby San Juan Island.

On the way out of Fisherman's Bay, we saw historic reef net fishing boats used by native peoples such as the Lummi Nation to catch salmon. Tall towers for lookouts make these boats quite unique.

Underwater nets camouflaged with artificial sea grass lead returning Sockeye to nets waiting to gather them together for harvesting. This method is still used today in a very eco-friendly way.


We were at Friday Harbor in about half an hour. We stopped for gas (you can never have too much gas) and to get directions for short term parking (free for up to four hours). Because it was very quiet we were allowed to dock right up front and walked up to a restaurant near the ferry lineup. After that we visited King's Market up the street to get something for a simple no-cook dinner.

Before we left, we went to look at a few boats for sale (you can never have too many boats). We walked about a mile to Shipyard Cove where we found a fellow Canadian in charge. He had lots of stories about boating and float planes in BC. Small world.

Tomorrow for Sky Watch Friday I'm sharing another picture from Anacortes. Come on back on Saturday for the end of our shakedown cruise. -- Margy

Lopez Island Overnighter

From Anacortes we set out to find a lunch spot. The sea was calmer, but the tides were at maximum flood. Our original plan was to enter Lopez Sound via Lopez Pass, but according to Gunkholing in the San Juan Islands, the current could reach 4 knots and the charts showed shallower depths and more rocks. We opted to follow the Washington State Ferry heading through deeper and wider Thatcher Pass.

Just after the pass we headed for Spencer Spit State Park. It was calm in protected Lopez Sound, but with a slight breeze from the north, we opted for the south side of the spit. This park has both land and marine access. We saw several people strolling the sandy shores on this lovely April day.

According to the diagram in the Dreamspeaker Cruising Guide for The San Juan Islands, there were lots of mooring buoys both north and south of the spit. We only found two left on the south side and picked one for a quick Subway sandwich lunch break.

Our destination for the night was Fisherman's Bay on the west side of Lopez Island. Wayne and I don't cook much while cruising. We prefer easy meals and eating out when possible. So for dinner, we docked at the Lopez Islander Resort and walked up to their Tiki Lounge. What a flash from the past. It's a full service resort with a nice marina with guest moorage available.

We had appies and brews then headed out into the bay to anchor for the night. We found a spot between the private mooring buoys and many crab trap floats to drop our anchor. After a glowing sunset we went inside to play a game of Monopoly on my iPad and then snuggled into our sleeping bag in the v-berth for a quiet night on the water.

Come back tomorrow as we head off for Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. -- Margy

San Juan Shakedown Cruise

If you've read recent posts (Chuckanut Day Cruise and Girl's Night Out) you know we're enjoying our new boat, but the weather has prevented us from really giving it a shakedown cruise. But last weekend brought partly sunny skies with minimal wind (we're power cruisers and love calm seas).

View Larger Map

We left our slip in Squalicum Harbor, stopped by nearby Hilton Harbor Marina for gas, then headed out to the San Juan Islands. Island hopping is a favourite boater pastime here in the Pacific Northwest. We started out heading west towards Lopez Island, but our circuitous route put is so close to Anacortes on Fidalgo Island that we decided to stop and check it out. Deep shipping channels gets everything from tiny boats to huge tankers through the shallow waters.

To guide your way into the Cap Sante Boat Haven marina there are lots of buoys and markers. One of the advantages of boating in the off season is uncrowded facilities. But this marina has lots of room for boats wanting gas and moorage. Today we didn't stop, but it's on our list for a future visit.

Have you been to Anacortes before? What are some things you enjoyed about your visit?

From here we headed northwest to Lopez Island. We've been there before in our airplane, but this will be our first visit by boat. Stop by tomorrow to hear more about it. -- Margy

Coastal BC Plants: Western Skunk Cabbage

Western Skunk Cabbage

I'm usually in Powell River this time of year for one of the sure signs of spring, the bright yellow lantern shaped flowers of the Western Skunk Cabbage. Swampy and boggy areas are where you will find it growing. For such an ugly name, it is a beautiful plant - at least I think so.

It can be found from Kodiak, Alaska, to Northern California, and as far east as Wyoming. Oddly, it can also be found in England and Scotland. Right behind our condo in Bellingham is a riparian zone (protected wetland) with a creek right in the middle. It's a perfect spot for Skunk Cabbage.

Western Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus) is also called Swamp Lantern, an apt name because of the shape and bright glow of its large hooded flower. The common name comes from the bad odour that the flower emits. It sounds strange, but the smell is what attracts its pollinators, flies and beetles. Bears and deer eat them despite their strong smell.

It's a little thing, but it makes me feel more connected to home. Maybe you can find some near your home. Happy flower hunting! -- Margy

Cabin Deck Refurb

Decks on float cabins are extremely important. You need them to walk on, sit on, and of course, sunbathe on. It's your front, back and side yards rolled into one.

On cedar log floats, decks are raised above the water using an intricate maze of support posts and beams called pony walls that are usually hidden from view.

Our good friend John is putting a new deck on his cabin. When he originally refurbished this old cabin, he didn't completely rebuild the float. He is taking this opportunity make some structural improvements.

One important improvement is adding a brow log. This log runs perpendicular to the float logs. Long spikes driven through the logs tie them together for added strength. In this picture you can see the new brow log (split lengthwise) and the pony walls on top.

How do you get wood for the deck up the lake? John uses the time tested method of towing them bundled together, using their buoyancy in the water to do the work.

Maybe, by the time I return at the end of the month, the deck will be done and ready for outdoor enjoyment. - Margy

Julie's Airport Market & Grill

Thirty years ago, Wayne and I visited Powell River while on a flying camping trip. We needed fuel and then walked to the Airport Market for ice and snacks. We hopped back in our plane and away we went -- for twenty more years until we returned to make Powell Lake our home. If you would like to read about some of our flying adventures, check out Wayne's Up the Airway.

I've often driven passed the Airport Market, but have never stopped. This week I learned from a real estate agent friend, Harry Zroback, that our friend Julie bought the market about six months ago and was having a blast. So today, as I was getting ready to catch a Pacific Coastal flight back to Bellingham, I decided to visit Julie and grab a bite of lunch at her market restaurant.

The sign out front says Julie's Airport Market - Grill and Groceries. Outside, the lot was filled with pickup trucks, so I knew the food was going to be good and plentiful. Besides, I know Julie and her pride in a job well done. Inside there is one shelf of emergency items a passing pilot or nearby neighbor might want, but the emphasis is on the restaurant part of the business. And there was Julie, doing a bit of everything: taking orders, manning the till, cooking, and serving.

Julie asked if I wanted breakfast or lunch. Lunch I said, and she directed me to the specials board. I picked the steak sandwich. It came medium, just like I ordered, on top of garlic toast, covered with grilled mushrooms and garnished with onion rings. The side of fries was crispy and huge. A meal fit for a logger, but I gave it my best. You can bet I will be heading back to the Airport Market for breakfast or lunch on my next trip to town.

You can read about Julie and her prize winning derby fish in Up the Lake. And you can take a peak at the newly remodeled Julie's Airport Cafe by clicking here. Don't worry. She's kept the airplane theme. -- Margy